Five Lion Riders Qualify for 2025 College National Finals Rodeo

Lion Rodeo looking for fourth consecutive year with a National Championship.

Five East Texas A&M University Rodeo Team members will travel west to compete at the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), scheduled for June 15-21 in Casper, Wyo.

The university's Rodeo program aims for a fourth consecutive year with a national champion. Bryana Lehrmann, Kincaide Henry and Kaden Profili took home individual event championships at the CNFR in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Automatic qualifiers for the CNFR are determined by the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's (NIRA) regional standings, with the top two overall team scores and the top three individuals in each event earning a trip to Casper. Neither the Lion Men's or Women's teams finished high enough in the NIRA Southern Region standings to earn a CNFR berth, but five individuals earned automatic bids.

This year's Lion qualifiers include Trace Harris, Jill White, Rylee George, Mayce Marek and Garrett Freeman.

Harris comfortably earned his spot in the CNFR after finishing first in the Southern Region in the Steer Wrestling event. During the regular season, he picked up event wins at Northeast Texas Community College, McNeese State University, Texas A&M University and the East Texas A&M home rodeo.

Freeman finished third in the Team Roping standings as a Header. He won the event at Northeast Texas and McNeese.

This year will mark the third CNFR appearance for Harris and the first for Freeman.

On the women's side, White is also appearing at her first College Finals. She took the top spot in the regional Breakaway Roping standings. She has event wins at Panola College and East Texas A&M.

Appearing in her fifth CNFR is Rylee George, who took second place in the Breakaway Roping standings. She won the event at Southwest Texas College.

Rounding out the Lion qualifiers is Mayce Marek, who makes her second CNFR with the Lions and her first since 2022. She finished second in the Southern Region's Goat Tying standings and had event wins at Texas A&M and Wharton County Junior College.

Learn more and get tickets for this year's CNFR at their website.

Featured Photo: From left, Mayce Marek, Garrett Freeman and Jill White are three of five Lions who qualified for the 2025 CNFR | Photo by East Texas A&M Marketing and Communications